The Package
by Ms.Chelle
Summary: This package might change her life and she *desperately* needs Rick.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not Castle.**

It was the usual morning. He got up and saw the time. It was already seven o'clock. It's still early he thought. He and Beckett always got in the precinct at eight o'clock. He shoved of his comforter and made his way to the shower. He made a quick shower and dressed up. He chose a powder blue shirt and pants. He peeked in his daughter's room to see if she's still sleeping but he sighed when he saw that she already made her bed. He decided to meet the two lovely women of his life. He descended from the stairs and saw the two red heads. "Good morning, Mother. Good morning, Daughter." He greeted them with a smile on his face. He quickly walked to the side of his daughter and planted a kiss on her forehead and he also kissed his mother's cheek.

He glanced back to his daughter. He saw her busying herself looking at a very familiar book that he hadn't seen in years. She was looking at the most memorable photo album. He will never forget all the pictures in it like it was engraved into his mind. "Oh! What do we have here, pumpkin?" He looked at her and put his arm around her shoulders.

"We have a project in school. It was about 'the years of my innocence'" She said it with glitters in her eyes and said the last five words with a dramatic effect. _Hmm, like grandma, like mother, like daughter. _ He thought and furrowed his eyebrows. "Why did they call it like that? Is my darling daughter loose her innocence?" She chuckled because he made a wrong interpretation. She shook her head. "No, dad. I just named my project like that. It means when we didn't know much about the world around us. And I'm finding a good picture of me. Would you help?" She gave him a smile.

"Any picture will do pumpkin." He kissed her forehead again. He was going to turn around when a certain picture of her caught his eyes. "Oh! Why don't you submit this one?" He grinned and pointed out a 2 year old Alexis that is on potty training.

"Dad! That is so embarrassing." She scolded her father as if he was her younger brother but this is one of her father's traits that she loves the most. Though he was – no, _is_ very childish, he could make her laugh even though it was a simple thing.

"But you look so cute!" His grinned grew bigger and he raised his eyebrows twice. She sighed and shook her head. That's when Martha joined in. "Alexis darling," She got her full attention now. "your farther has a lot _more_ embarrassing photos when he was a child." She glanced quickly at him and smiled at her son. "Until now." His daughter teased and giggled. "I'm hurting, you know." Richard frowned and they all broke into laughter. Then his phone rang.

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><p>She woke up five in the morning. She did her usual routine. She jogged for thirty minutes. She went back to her apartment and exercised. She took a shower, get dressed and drove to the precinct. But when she opened her door, a huge box was left on her doorstep. She looked at the hallway but no one was there. She picked up her phone and dialled the doorman. The doorman said no one came to drop a package for her and he didn't know anything about a package. She pushed the box inside. She found a note on top. She gasped and dialled the first person that she could think of.<p>

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><p>"Castle. Hey, Beckett do we have a body?" He looked like a boy asking for a Christmas present when he asked. "Are you calling me because you miss me, Detective?" Now, the wide smile that was on his face grew wider. "What is it, my lovely detective that got you so worried that <em>you<em> called me?" There was a tease in his voice and the detective on the other line felt that he was smiling. She got it all straight to the point because his ego grew bigger and bigger. "You found a what?" The two women looked concerned at Richard's tone. His grin faded in an instant. His eye brows are more furrowed. "Ok. I'll be there in fifteen. If anything bad happens, call me. If you hear it ticking, get out of there." He looked more worried. He ended the call, bid a quick good bye to the two and head towards the door. He left the two of the three most important women in his life looking for answers of why the patriarch of the family suddenly disappeared through that door.

He quickly got off the lift and hailed the cab. He was so worried. She didn't call him for nothing. It must've scared the hell out of her. He typed a quick message.

_You alright? I'm on my way._

He slightly jumped to her quick reply.

_I'm fine. The box is not ticking though._

It's a relief for him, knowing that she's still alive and the box may not be a bomb. His thoughts were disturbed when the driver told him there was a heavy traffic. He paid quickly and got off. Though he knows she's safe, he wants to go there quickly and the traffic wouldn't slow him down. He found himself running and the next thing he knew was that he was in front of Beckett's apartment. He knocked twice. He gasped at what he saw when she opened the door.

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><p>This is entirely different from "The Package" that I wrote before. The chapters will be longer and I'll add more emotion to the lines and their actions. I'm really sorry about the first The Package. Rookie mistake. It's like I only wrote dialogues. Anyway, I am trying to do better. Sorry, the reviews were also deleted when I deleted the story. I promise to do better this time. Thank you for reading!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.**

When he ended the call, she moved to the box again. She didn't know if she was going to open it. She bit her lower lip. She remembered Castle's statement earlier. She leaned closer to the box but she heard nothing. What if it was just an ordinary package? She shook her head. It cannot be. The note on the box was way too creepy to be ordinary. She read it again. Maybe this time it would make sense.

_To the beautiful Detective Katherine Beckett,_

_I hope this will change your life._

_P.S. Don't find me._

She was walking to and fro with hands on her waist. Thinking about the note all over again. She didn't know how long she was doing that but her phone stopped her. She had a message from Castle. She made a quick reply. She was waiting for him to reply back but he didn't. Maybe she should look at what's inside. She has nothing to worry about. She's a detective for heaven's sake and she's one of the best. She had encountered a lot of danger before. There's the blown up apartment, almost frozen to death, radiation poisoning, almost blown up by a nuclear bomb and she even survived when she got a bullet through her chest. She sighed. Nothing should worry her. _Nothing_. She opened the box and gasped. She felt like the world stop. Of all the things that she could think of that was inside that box, _that_ was the last thing that she could think of. She couldn't even think that someone would put that in a box. And what was the sender thinking to give her this beautiful –

She heard a knock on the door that made her jump. She heard a knock again. She didn't need to peek into the peephole to look at who's at the other side. She swung the door opened. She met his gaze. He was panting. She looked like a scared little girl. He was trying to catch his breath. "Are you ok?" still panting. "What happened?" He walked across her and let himself in. She looked like she was about to break down. He wanted to hug her, to assure her that everything is going to be alright. He was walking towards her. She was staring at the box but the box didn't matter to him now. She needed comfort. He knew she needed him. He was fighting himself not to hug her and then the noise stopped him. They both walk towards to box.

She was the first to speak up. "What are we going to do?" She looked at him. She looked so worried and for the first time when he met her. This was the first time that she looked like she didn't have any idea of what she was going to do. Sure, there was a time that they were on a dead end but she always had an idea where to start again. But this is not one of those cases. She really didn't know what to do. That is why she called him. She knew no one could help her besides him. She gave him the note that she found.

"It doesn't make sense." She heard him say. She was still in shock. He looked at her. "Beckett? Kate?" He shook her shoulders. "Castle, what am I going to do?" She looked into those eyes, those sapphire blue eyes that melt her every time she catches him staring at her.

He couldn't fight it anymore. He hugged her so tight when she met his gaze. Her head was resting on his shoulder. Her knees are getting weak. He hugged her tighter as if he was going to lose her. He lowered his lips to her ear and whispered. "Don't worry, I'll help you. Do you want to keep her?" She released herself from him but he was still holding her arms. She didn't even want that in the first place. Now, somebody gave her this. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't know, Castle. I never think of having a –" She couldn't finish it. He threw an arm around her shoulders. He remembered their talk few days ago and receiving a gift like this. He sighed. He didn't know that this will scare her off.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.**

"_I don't know, Castle. I never think of having a –" She couldn't finish it. He threw an arm around her shoulders. He remembered their talk few days ago and receiving a gift like this. He sighed. He didn't know that this will scare her off._

**Four days ago**

"I'm glad Henry's with his family now." He said as they watch the son of the victim reunite with his own family. The case that they just closed was very personal. The murder circled the family. All of the family members were suspects. The victim was killed by his wife because the wife found out that the victim was responsible for their son's disappearance. The wife didn't know that her husband did that to protect their son and their family. He made his son disappear because their son was a witness of a murder. He was about to tell the wife that their son was coming back because the case was closed but the wife found out that 'he took their son away from her'. Things got heated up and then it all stopped when she put a bullet in his chest.

"Henry's family missed him so much. It's been six years. He hadn't had the chance to watch his little girl grow up." There's sadness in her voice. He felt her longing. He hated his overactive imagination right now for he thought that Beckett must've longing for her mom. He thought that she must've been thinking that maybe her mom just disappeared and maybe someday she'll show up. He hated that thought but he was correct. He may not know it but that was exactly what was going in her mind right now. She thought that maybe if the conspiracy will end, maybe her mom will walk towards her and say that she just faked her death to keep her and her father safe. But she knew that was impossible. Her mom's dead. _Really dead. _She doesn't have a second chance like that man that they're looking right now.

"Hey," It was just one word but she felt his concern. She felt that he sensed the loneliness that surrounds her. "I'm fine. It's just that." She took a deep breath. She didn't know if she will continue. He was still staring at her. "I miss mom" She confessed and met his gaze. The way she said it made him feel that he _needs _to hug her. "Oh, Kate." He thought but he didn't know if he said that out loud. He was going to hug her but she placed a hand on her shoulder. "You know, you'll have a family someday. And I know you'll be with u – them." He assured her. He almost slipped that he wanted her to be a part of his family. "I don't know, Castle." She shook her head. "I don't think I want to have a family or a child. My career is hard. I could get killed any minute of every day. What if my child lost me? I don't want her to lose a mom like I did. I will just hurt her." Her voice was low but loud enough to hear the sadness behind her voice.

"No, Kate. You will not hurt her." He said it as if he's sure that _they'll _– she'll have a baby girl. A little Johanna. "You will love your child and no matter what happens, your child will love you because you will do your best for her." He smiled. "How could you be so sure, Castle?" He was sure of everything that he said. "because.." he closed their distance and leaned into her. He looked into those emerald eyes. "you're going to be an _extraordinary_ mother.. detective" He grinned. He made her smile again. She felt the tension around them again. "How could you be so sure? I don't even have the baby's daddy _yet_.. Rick." Oh that got him. She teased him and walked away before he could reply to the banter she started. _"I could be your baby Daddy.."_ he thought and followed the detective.

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><p>I'm so sorry this is a very short chapter. I just need to publish the talk that they had in my mind to clear things up. So, I guess you know what's inside the box this time. Soon you will know why she received that package. Thanks for reading! And thanks for the reviews!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.**

There was silence in the room. One minute she's living her what-she-calls-normal life and then the next she receives this one foot wide box with three holes in both sides. The box was not entirely closed but closed enough for her not to see what's inside. And then there's a note on top. And when she opened that box, the sleeping baby was covered with a French rose pink blanket.

The noise of the baby's cry filled the air while panic entered Kate. "She's crying. What should we do?" She was staring at his eyes for answers. He quickly grabbed the baby and held it in his arms like it was a reflex. He mumbled a soft lullaby to calm her down. Unfortunately, she didn't stop crying. Out of Kate's worry, she asked. "Why wouldn't she stop crying?" she said it in a low tone. "Maybe she's hungry. Do you have anything for the baby?" he whispered and still trying to stop the cry of the baby. "You know, I don't have baby.. um.. _stuff_ here" She said it in a matter-of-fact tone. "Could you buy some?"He pleaded. "Why me?" she felt dumb after she asked that. "First, you don't know anything about babies. Second, someone might take a photo of me buying baby stuff. They might suspect that I have another baby then question you because you're the only one who's – "

"Ok what does she need?" she cut him off. She doesn't want to have _that_ discussion while they're in the middle of this baby madness. "Baby milk, five to eight bottles, packs of diapers," She nod and head toward the door but she was shocked that he was still talking. She thought that that's the only things that babies need. "…. pack of baby wipes, bottle of gentle baby wash, five or more burp clothes …." She furrowed her eye brows. Why does the baby need a lot of stuff? She stopped him and raised her hand. "Castle," she hissed. "Why are you making me buy a lot of things? Our concern first is to feed her and change diapers."

"Exactly, you'll thank me later. Just buy what I said." She didn't understand his first statement. She turned her back on him _again_ and head towards the door _again_. "What will you say next, buy her toys?" she whispered but he heard it and made a quick banter. "How did you know? That's what I'm going to say next." He grinned. She turned her head and shot him _that_ look, meaning 'Shut the hell up Castle!' She walked _again_. She heard him whisper to himself but it was loud enough for her to hear. "I was just psyched about it." She felt that there's a frown on his face. She rolled her eyes and grabbed the knob. "Wait!" She was about to close the door when he rushed to her and stopped it. A baby on his left and another hand on the door. "Please buy the expensive ones. They have better quality. I'll pay you later." She was about to tell him he doesn't need to but he already closed the door.

She went inside the store and looked for the baby section. She looked at the aisles but she cannot find it. The saleslady approached her and asked her what she was looking for. She asked for the baby supplies and she followed her.

"So, you're a first timer, eh?" the sales lady that was in her forties or fifties asked.

"Excuse me, what?" She didn't understand what the lady said. When did her capacity to think became slower when it comes to things like babies. She thought.

"Ah, you're a first timer then. First time to be a mom. Is your husband at home with your child, _dear_?"

"No, I don't have a – " The smile on the woman's face faded when she heard Kate. "Oh, I'm so sorry dear. It must've been hard." She held Kate's hand for comfort.

She shook her head. "I don't want to have a baby. It's not my baby." The lady looked shocked but she thought it wasn't about the latter. "Why not, my dear?" Is she going to tell this woman? She's a stranger but why does she feel like she wants to open up. She felt like she needed a motherly advice. _Motherly_. She fought her tears back and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. "My mom died. I'm a cop and I don't want my child to be motherless." The woman felt Kate's pain. She held her hand tighter. She felt bad that she brought up this young lady's suffering. "Don't worry about it, dear." She smiled. "Why don't I help you pick the best things for the baby?" She nodded and the woman released her tight grip with a smile on her face.

Maybe this woman was sent by mom, to tell her some advice. Maybe she possessed her or something. She giggled inside her. _Possessed?_ Castle would say that but she just unconsciously thought of that. She smiled at the thought that Castle is changing her. That small unrecognizable part of her.

She finished shopping baby stuff and she bought almost all the most expensive / "best" things for _their _non-blood-related baby. She smiled when she remembered what Castle said. He's so sweet to think about what's the best for the baby even if the baby is not _theirs_ – she meant his.

Ugh! Why does she always keep on thinking that the baby is _their_ baby? They are not even together… _officially_. She thought and she hated her mind today _(and for the fact that it's only few minutes before eight and there's a long day ahead)_ because it's getting her crazy. It's like Kate fighting against Beckett.

She shook off her thoughts because she's in front of her door now. When she opened the door, she saw a _very cute_ Rick making faces to the baby. She chuckled to see this side of Rick. He glanced at her and gave her a smile. "I bought everything you said and some food and coffee." She placed the groceries on the dining table. Castle followed her. "Come on baby, Mommy's got food." He made faces while he said those words. He looked up to Beckett and she gave him that 'I will kill you if you say that again' look. He gulped. "I think we need to lay ground rules here, Castle."

He was finding a good reply so that he could call her Mommy again. "We both know that rules are meant to be bent, Detective." He creased a smile and lifted his eye brows at her. She rolled her eyes.

"_Oh, I will find ways to bend your rules detective." _He took a mental note in his mind and left a wide grin on his ruggedly handsome face.

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><p><strong>Originally, the small talk in the store was not on my mind. It just happened. I hoped I did some justice about the characters. Sorry if the chapters 2 and 3 are so short. Thanks for reading guys!<strong>

**NancyErin here's your request. I hope I didn't disappoint you. Thank you for always reviewing this story. **

**My dear reviewers you don't know how happy I am to read your reviews. You always made my day!**

**Author's note 2:**

**I'm only a teen. I don't know much about babies so I really need your help guys and if I made a mistake I'm really sorry. Could you give an advice about babies or guide my way? because I think it's weird and awkward to ask my mom.. she might get the wrong interpretation.. you know what I mean.. right?**

**P.S. Cops and Robbers was so cool last Monday! I wished they hugged**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.**

She made the milk for the baby and handed it to Castle. He was sitting across the counter. "It's nice to have some help when you're taking care of a baby." He said while still holding her and feeding her. "Yeah, thanks Castle. I don't really know how to do all that stuff." She leaned closer to him with her arms resting on the counter top. "Meredith wasn't always around to take care of Alexis." He sighed to the memory. She knew his ex-wife was not the perfect mother but she didn't know she was that bad. "Don't worry, Castle, I got your back." She smiled. "Always." She sealed her promise with the word. "Always." He repeated. "So, how will we do this?" He lifted his eye brows. "You and the baby could use the guest room or you want me to stay here at night?" He grinned. She was about to speak up but her phone rang. "Beckett. Yeah we'll be there." She snapped her phone off. "Come on, Castle. They've got the suspect." She was in her detective mode. "What about the baby?" Crap. She forgot about the baby. She bit her lip. They cannot go anywhere with a baby. The media will find out and then the whole country will know. And what will her friends think? Oh no. The Captain will get furious if she finds out.

"I could call mother and tell her to babysit. I could also tell her to take some of Alexis' baby clothes." She quickly agreed. No one should find out that she received a baby. At least not yet. He handed her the baby. "What?" he asked. "I don't know how to carry a baby. I've tried to carry a toddler but they are different. Babies are smaller and more fragile." She replied.

"Carry her this way." He helped her. "I'll call mother."

It's her first time to carry a baby and it felt surreal. There's a little human being in her arms. She brushed a hand on the little girl's cheek. She's so cute. She fell asleep after Castle fed her and made her burped. "Mother got frenzied when I told her about babysitting. I need to calm her down before I could explain everything." He rolled his eyes. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh yeah. Eye rolling was your thing. Got it."

"So it's true." Martha approached them. Kate was on the phone. Rick handed her the baby. "Oh, she's so cute dear. What's her name?" The two looked at each other. "We haven't decided yet. We need to go. Thanks mother." He said and kissed her cheek. "Bye, baby." He waited for Kate at the door.

"… We'll be there, Ryan. Something got in the way. Yeah. Tell me everything when we get there." He heard her. She thanked Martha after she got off her phone.

They were walking towards the car. "Esposito and Ryan are interrogating the suspect. They questioned me why were we late because I never get late especially in the middle of a case." She opened her door. "What did you say?" He looked at her but she didn't look away from the road. "Something got in the way." She can still see him in the corner of her eye even though she focused herself on the road. "Are we going to tell them?" He never leaved his sight of her. "No. Not yet. Let's just finish off this case." She was back on the detective mode. He didn't say a word after that.

They walked into the bullpen and they were greeted by two grinning detectives. "Slept late last night?" Esposito teased.

"Yeah, we did." She used her _bedroom_ voice and grinned. "We slept late this morning."The three men looked startled. "Am I right, Rick?" She bit her lip in a sexy way. His jaw dropped. " I – uh – we – um" He gulped and loosen his tie a little bit.

"We stared at the murder board until one o'clock" It's her detective voice again. The two detectives looked disappointed. "Jeez, Beckett. We thought you and Castle –"

"We what?" She glared at them and rolled her eyes.

They were saved by the bell when her phone rang. It was Lanie. "Castle, you coming?" He quickly followed her direction.

"Lanie." She called her. The ME glanced. "The killer hit her head with a blunt object. Based on the angle of the blow, I can say that you're finding a six feet murderer." Then she turned her back on them and grabbed a paper. "I found this paper in her pocket. I checked if there are prints but there were none." She handed the paper to Kate.

"_I hope you liked my gift, Katherine."_

They looked at each other. He took the paper. "It's the same handwriting." They both spoke.

"Do you think that the baby and this case are connected?" The ME looked confused. Did she hear that right? A baby. She didn't know much about the case but she knew that there was no baby in this case.

"I hope so. We need to send the baby here and get her DNA. This case is more complicated than we expected." She went out followed by him.

"Katherine." She stopped and they bumped with each other.

"Why did you stopped?"

She turned to face him. "You called me Katherine." She furrowed her eye brows and crossed her arms.

"I was talking about the case. The victim's name isn't Katherine." She almost forgot. "Is the killer giving you a message?"

"Let's check first if the victim knew any Katherine." She walked back to the bull pen. Something is wrong. They must've missed something. It doesn't make sense.

.

"Hello darlings!" Martha caught their attention as she made a bee line in the bullpen. She was carrying the baby in pink clothes and a bag. "So, Kate and Richard told you about the baby." She told the two detectives.

The two looked at her from their desks. "What baby?" Ryan walked towards to Martha. "Did you know about this?" He whispered to Esposito

"We didn't know anything about the baby." Esposito stood up.

Castle and Beckett walked out of the break room and saw the commotion. "You told your mother to go here?" She hissed.

"But you said – " She cut him off.

"We haven't told the guys yet, Castle!" She yelled at him. She quickly joined the group. He followed her with their coffees. "Boss, did you adopt a baby?" Ryan curiously asked. "No. We think the baby is related to the case. We need to talk to the Captain." She didn't make it clear for them.

The Captain was already at the bullpen. "Why is there a baby in my bullpen?" Her arms are crossed. "You two, in my office now!" She slammed the door.


End file.
